News

WHITEHORSE, YT—Yukon University will celebrate the graduating class of 2022 with an in-person convocation ceremony this Saturday, June 4. 

Two hundred and eleven students from 37 certificate, diploma and degree programs will cross the stage to receive their credential and congratulations from Chancellor Allen, President Brown and faculty. 

Renowned architect Alfred Waugh (pictured left) is keynote speaker. In 1993, Waugh became the first Aboriginal person to graduate with honours with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of British Columbia. He went on to become a LEED certified registered architect. Waugh’s company, Formline Architecture, has developed a reputation for finely crafted cultural and sustainable buildings with an award-winning portfolio of projects in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Alberta. 

Funding for the linked efforts of Yukon University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Yukonstruct Society supports resilience and growth
 

A key part of Canada’s economic recovery is supporting businesses as they adapt, grow, and move forward from the pandemic. Businesses and entrepreneurs need a strong foundation, built on technological innovation and clean growth to create the workforce of the future.

Across the territories, Northern and Indigenous partners are building a path forward through creativity, collaboration and determination. In the Yukon, this is demonstrated by the united efforts of the Yukon’s innovation community, which has worked closely together to adapt and grow through challenging times.

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN) and researchers at Yukon University are working in collaboration to address the effects of climate change thanks to a multi-year research project that will assess the vulnerability of the CAFN Traditional Territory to climate change and permafrost thaw.

Today, the Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, announced $429,028 in funding for the project through the Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program. He was joined by CAFN Chief Steve Smith, Dr. Lesley Brown, President and Vice-Chancellor, Yukon University, and Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, at an event at Yukon’s NorthLight Innovation Centre.

WHITEHORSE, YT—Northern Vision Development (NVD) donated $1 million to Yukon University today and issued a challenge to Yukoners to raise a further $3 million to support students in their education goals.

“Yukon University’s new strategic plan offers a bold vision of the impact Canada’s first university north of 60 can have on our future. We challenge business leaders and individuals across the territory to fuel student success, research grounded in northern values and inspiring ways of teaching and learning. I look forward to working closely with Wendy Tayler and the Yukon University Foundation over the next two years to multiply the power of NVD’s gift,” said Rich Thompson, president, and chief executive officer, NVD.

Tune in as we celebrate our first-ever presidential installation!

Dr. Lesley Brown will be officially installed as the eighth President and Vice-Chancellor of Yukon University in a ceremony held at the Kwänlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Friday, May 13, 10:30 Yukon Standard Time
President Installation Program

Yukon University has received $500,000 to support the successful inclusion of clean power initiatives into the electrical power systems of both Yukon and Northwest Territories (NWT). The Electric vehicles and smart heating research project will explore the potential effects that electric vehicles and smart heating units may have on the electrical distribution networks in these territories and offer novel solutions to address these challenges. 

Yukon University has received $230,800 to research how COVID-19 has impacted the residents of Old Crow and to prepare for future emergencies. “In Their Words: COVID-19 Experiences of the Vuntut Gwitchin people of Old Crow” is a one-year project led by the Vuntut Gwitchin Government in partnership with Yukon University and funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). 

This research project addresses issues related to COVID-19 in Indigenous communities by revealing the health and wellness impacts as described by the people of Old Crow. The project will be co-created by the community and involve guided conversations and story gathering, in order to learn from this current pandemic and plan for future health crises and emergencies. 

Yukon University has been awarded $75,000 to research a method for treating contaminated mine water with native bacteria at the Minto Mine site. The Mitacs Acceleration program and Minto Metals Corp. (Minto) are supporting this Master’s degree project that was built in partnership between the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Northern Mine Remediation and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). 

WHITEHORSE, YT—Yukon University Board of Governors has released a new Strategic Plan, Becoming, which sets out the journey ahead for YukonU to realize the promise and potential of being Canada’s first university North of 60.

Within the plan are five commitments that will guide the actions and decisions of the university across the next five years.

• Build our identity and nurture our culture as a university

• Take our place in advancing reconciliation

• Continue to develop our northern expertise

• Develop bold thinkers and confident change leaders

• Be leaders for the common good

“We are grateful to Yukoners for their feedback on where they would like to see us in 2027. We are excited to get to work on fulfilling their vision for all that Yukon University can be,” said David Morrison, chair, Yukon University Board of Governors.

WHITEHORSE, YT—The Joyce Family Foundation has donated $1 million to support Yukon University student success with two renewable, annual bursaries alongside providing sustained funding for a peer mentorship program.

Students facing high financial obstacles who are beginning their post-secondary journey by entering the University Access Pathways (UAP) program can apply to this new bursary. The first deadline is May 15, 2022.

Each recipient will receive $3,000 towards academic and technology expenses. The bursary can be renewed twice for students in good standing who are continuing onto a YukonU diploma or degree program, providing up to $9,000 per recipient.

March 21st is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This year, the theme is Voices for Action Against Racism.

Racial discrimination continues to exist in Canada, including here at Yukon University. This means that the daily existence of students and colleagues who are not white is negatively affected because of the color of their skin or their ethnic origin. In some cases, discrimination emerges as barriers that are inherent to our structures and systems of operation within and beyond our institution, but at other times discrimination is experienced as disgraces of harassment and unjust behaviors, including silence, imposed by others. This is unacceptable.